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Jan. 31, 1956 w. T. GOLLWITZER 2,732,793

SEQUENTIALLY OPERATING ADDRESS PRINTINQ MEANS Original Filed Dec. 16,1950 10 Sheets-Sheet l Irzvezzivr Jan. 31, 1956 w. 'r. GOLLWITZERSEQUENTIALLY OPERATING ADDRESS PRINTING MEANS l0 Sheets-Sheet 2 OriginalFiled Dec. 16, 1950 Inventor I Il a/fer 7T Gol/w/zber Jan. 31, 1956 w.T. GOLLWITZER 2,732,793

SEQUENTIALLY OPERATING ADDRESS PRINTING MEANS Original Filed Dec. 16,1950 10 Sheets-Sheet 3 WW I lilti F 5 t A In uentor Jan. 31. 1956 w. 'r.GOLLWITZER SEQUENTIALLY OPERATING ADDRESS PRINTING MEANS l0 Sheets-Sheet5 Original Filed Dec. 16, 1950 lrzr/erzior Jan. 31. 1956 w. T.GOLLWITZER 2,732,793

SEQUENTIALLY OPERATING ADDRESS PRINTING MEANS Original Filed Dec. 16,1950 10 Sheets-Sheet 6 In Vera tor Zu'a/ter 7T Go/kul't er- Jan. 31,1956 w. T. GOLLWITZER 2,732,793

SEQUENTIALLY OPERATING ADDRESS PRINTING MEANS Origirzal Filed Dec. 16,1950 10 Sheets-Sheet 7 [RI/er for walfer 7'. Go/ho z'ger Jan. 31, 1956w. T. GOLLWITZER SEQUENTIALLY OPERATING ADDRESS PRINTING MEANS OriginalFiled Dec. 16, 1950 10 Sheets-Sheet 8 Jl& 8322 5:63 ma mmw jOm Owuuzwtojn 5.4 102?. E mmmwzl mokm 0mm; IU.:3m 02-2....

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SEQUENTIALLY OPERATING ADDRESS PRINTING MEANS Original Filed Dec. 16,1950 10 Sheets-Sheet 9 SOL l PF I H77 H57 a H02 20 /644 N82 /53/cINVENTOR. q WALTER T. GOLLWITZER ATTORNEYS United States Patent2,732,7as V SEQUENTIALLY OPERATINg ADDRESS PRINTING AN Originalapplication December 16, 1950, Serial No. 201,102. Divided and thisapplication April 20, 1953, Serial No. 349,585

4 Claims. (Cl. 101-47) This application is a division of my copendingapplication Serial No. 201,102, filed December 16, 1950.

This invention relates to machines for producing business instrumentssuch as checks, insurance premium notices, bills and the like.

In business establishments where bills, checks and the like are preparedin large numbers, it has been customary in' many instances to preparesuch business instruments through the use of individual printing andcontrol devices such as the printing and control devices illustrated inmy Patent No. 2,132,412, patented October 11, 1938; Such printing andcontrol devices embody a carrier or frame having one or more printingplates fixed thereon and such printing plates are provided with embossedtype which may be utilized for printing numerical amounts, and which maybe used for printing the name and address and the other identifying datathat may pertain to the person, company or the like, to which suchprinting devices may be assigned. In such printing and control devicesas shown in my aforesaid patent, an upper area of the frame of theprinting device is utilized for carrying physically representedinformation such as numerical data and such numerical data arerepresented as shown in such patent by perforations located inaccordance with a predetermined positional code. Such printing andcontrol devices also are arranged in most instances to carry identifyingmeans such as tabs at one or more selected identifying. positions alongthe upper edge thereof and these tabs may, of course, be formed andarranged in accordance with any of the systems known in the art whichinclude full solid tabs, notched tabs and perforated tabs. The numericaldata represented by the coded perforations in the printing and controldevices may be sensed to control mechanisms in a machine so that suchmechanisms may cooperate with the printing or other operative mechanismof such machine to produce a business instrument that includes not onlyprinted impressions from the embossed type of the particular printingand control devices but other. physical representations such as printedinformation or data representing perforations or the like made undercontrol of the data representing perforations of the printing devices.Moreover, such printing and control devices may be selectively utilizedin such printing machines through the use of selector mechanism that isresponsive to the identifying means such as'tabs that may be carried onthe printing and control devices, and the control operation that isaccomplished by the selector mechanism in such machines is effectiveprimarily to govern the print-skip operation of such machines. In otherwords, under the control of the identifying tabs, the machine may berendered effective to produce business instruments with respect to onlya portion of the printing and control devices that may be passed throughthe machine.

In the production of business instruments of the-aforesaid character ona large quantity basis in large establishments such as, banks,governmental agencies, utility billing departments and the like, it isof course desirable that a ice sustained high production rate beestablished, and it is the primary object of the present invention toenable this to be accomplished in a novel manner.

In machines of the aforesaid character where sustained or continuousoperation of the machine is to be accomplished, it is neverthelessnecessary to afford manual controls for certain of the operativemechanisms of the machine so that power-operated cycles of thesemechanisms may be individually initiated, as for example in testing,setting of the machine, or in starting a run of the machine. Suchindividual mechanisms, however, must during automatic operation of themachine operate in timed relation to all of the other elements of themachine, and therefore a further and more specific object of theinvention is to assure that such proper timing will take place despitethe provision of individual controls forsuch mechanisms.

Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent fromthe following description and claims and are illustrated in theaccompanying drawings which, by way of illustration, show a preferredembodiment of the present invention and the principles thereof and whati. now consider to be the best mode in which I have contemplatedapplying these principles. Other embodiments of the invention embodyingthe same or equiv alent principles may be used and structural changesmay be made as desired by those skilled in the art without departingfrom the present invention and the purview of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front perspective view of a machine embodying the featuresof the invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the machine;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the machine;

Fig. 4 is a schematic and partially perspective view illustrating thedrive-transmitting means and the related control clutches of themachine;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged plan view of the right-hand portion of themachine, the cover plates being removed in some instances to showdetails of internal construction; Fig. 6 is a front view taken partiallyin vertical section and showing the portion of the machine illustratedin Fig.5;

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line7-7 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a timing chart illustrating the timing of the elements of themachine in consecutive operation; and

Figs. 9 and 10, when taken together with Fig. 9 located to the left ofFig. 10, constitute a wiring diagram showing the electrical power andcontrol connections utilized in the machine.

The machine in general For the purpose of disclosure the invention isherein illustrated as embodied in a printing machine that is adapted toproduce business instruments such as bills, checks and the like in theform of tabulating cards containing printed data, as well as physicallyrepresented data afforded by means of perforations in the cards, and

such documents in the form of cards C are produced from and undercontrol of printing devices D that are passed through the machine. Themachine 100 has a main enclosed frame F that is supported on top of alower base LB which in the present instance is mounted on casters 101.The lower base" LB has access doors 102 afforded as parts of the usualenclosing cover plates, and the upper frame F is similarly provided withaccess doors 103 as well as other removable cover plates whereby accessmay be had to mechanism enclosed within the frame. The machine frame Falso affords a table top T that is relatively elongated and which has anelongated card guideway CG extended along what may be termed the forwardedge portion of the table top. The cards C are supplied to a cardmagazine CM which in the present instance is adjustable as to itsoverall size so as to provide for handling cards C of different lengths,and these cards C are discharged edgewise or in a rearward direction oneby one from the bottom of the card magazine CM and into the cardguideway CG and are thereafter fed along the card guideway by means tobe hereinafter described into cooperation, first, with a punching unitPU, which produces the desired coded perforations in the card C, andsuch card C is thereafter advanced in a left-hand direction, as viewedin Fig. 1, into a printing position beneath a platen P whereby a printedimpression may be made from the printing means of a printing device Donto the card C, and the card is thereafter released from printingposition and is discharged through a micrometer sensing or safety deviceMS into a collector hopper K that is afforded at the left-hand end ofthe machine as viewed in Fig. 1.

The printing devices D are stacked in a magazine M that is located atthe rear edge of the machine in an upstanding relationship and in frontto rear alignment with the printing position that is defined by theplaten P.

The printing'devices D are withdrawn one by one from the bottom of themagazine M and are advanced in step-by-step manner forwardly along aprinting device guideway 110, and in the first such movement, theprinting device is advanced from magazine M into a sensing position thatis defined by and located beneath a sensing head SH that is of thegeneral character shown in my oo-pending application, Serial No. 58,742,filed Novemher 6, 1948, and while the printing device D is at rest inthis sensing position, the sensing head SH is moved downwardly through asensing stroke and physically repre sented data on the printing andcontrol device D are sensed and this sensing is effective as willhereinafter be described to set up certain of the control elements ofthe punching unit PU so that such data may thereafter be represented byperforations formed in a card C by the punching unit PU. In the courseof such sensing operation, other representing means or identifying meanson the printing and control device D are sensed as described in myaforesaid copending application to determine whether or not a documentis to be produced from and under control of such printing device, andthis may be referred to as a sensing operation to determine theprint-skip functioning of the machine as a whole. After the performanceof the aforesaid sensing operation by the sensing head SH, the printingdevice is in the same 7 machine cycle, advanced into the printingposition wherein it is located over an anvil A that is afforded in theprint- 7 ing device guideway 110, such anvil A being disposed beneaththe platen P and cooperating in defining the aforesaid printingposition. While the printing device D is in position at the printingstation, and in the same machine cycle, a printing operation may beperformed therefrom by operation of the platen P, and the printingdevice is thereafter, in the next machine cycle, advanced forwardlyalong the printing device guideway and is then directed downwardly intothe forward end of a collecting .tray 111 which has packer mechanismassociated therewith and operated in timed relation to the printingdevice feed mechanism. This printing device or plate feed mechanism isdesignated in a general way as the plate feed unit 120, Fig. 3.

The driving and control connections Under and in accordance with thepresent invention the production rate of the machine is maintained atthe maximum by so constructing and arranging the machine that theover-all cycle may be held at the minimum control, the driving andcontrol elements of the machine are arranged and related in the mannershown diagrammatically in Fig. 4 of the drawings. Thus, the main motorMM has a belt connection afforded by a motor pulley 195, a belt 196, anda main pulley 197 to a main drive shaft 200 that extends horizontallyfrom front to rear of the machine just beneath the table top T andbetween the punch unit PU and the printing station, and this main shaft200 is operated constantly and serves to drive certain constantlyoperating elements of the machine as well as to afford constantlyoperating drive source for the severally independently clutched elementsor units of the machine.

Thus, the main shaft 200 has a pulley 201 fixed thereon for driving anendless card feed belt 202 that has its upper run extended along and inthe card feed guideway CG from a point adjacent to the punch unit PU tothe discharge end of the guideway, and at such discharge end of theguideway, the belt extends over a pulley 203 and thence downwardly andabout two spaced guide pulleys 204 and 205. The pulley 203 is alsodriven so as to maintain the belt 202 taut within the guideway and thisis accomplished by a drive pulley 206 on the shaft 200, and a belt 207extended about guide pulleys 208 and a pulley 209 that is fixed to thesame shaft 210 as the pulley 203.

Rearwardly of the pulley 206, the shaft 200 has a bevel gear 212 fixedthereon and meshing with a bevel gear 213 fixed on a horizontal andtransversely related shaft 214. On the other end of the shaft 214 asprocket 216 is fixed and an endless chain 217 extends about thissprocket 216 beneath an idler sprocket 218 and about a pair of sprockets219 and 220 that are disposed on fixed axes. The sprocket 219 is fixedon a horizontal shaft 222 which extends to the right past the punchingunit PU and on its right hand end, the shaft has a sprocket 223 fixed.An endless chain 224 extends about the sprocket 223 and upwardly overand about a sprocket 225 that is fixed on a shaft 226, and the chainthen extends rearwardly beneath an idler sprocket 227 and then upwardlyand over a sprocket 228 from which it extends downwardly to the sprocket223.

The shaft 226 serves as a drive for a plurality of transverse feed belts230 that are over a part of the card guideway CG opposite the cardmagazine CM. The feed belts 230 are arranged in relatively deep annularslots or grooves in the upper feed rollers 231 that are fixed on a shaft232, and beneath the feed'rollers 231, the opposed feed rollers 233 arearranged and are fixed on a drive shaft 234. The feed rollers 231 and233 cooperate to continue the in-feeding movement of each card C afterthe card has been projected for a short distance from the magazine bythe reciprocating card picker CP, and after discharge of the card fromthe bight of the rollers 231 and 233, the'feed belts 230 becomeefiective to complete the in-feedingmovement as will be described. Gears236, 237 and 238 meshed in series, are fixed respectively on the shafts226, 234 and 232 to transmit drive from the constantly operated shaft226.

The sprocket 208 also serves to drive a series of card feed wheels 241,242, 243 and 244 that are disposed in spaced relation along and over thecard guideway CG and. are arranged to be lowered into engagement withthe cards at certain times in the cycle as will be described. These cardfeed wheels are of similar form and each is mounted on the forward endof a shaft 2408 that is carried in a frame 240F which is pivotallycarried on a longitudinal drive shaft 245. The wheel supporting shafts2408 are geared to the shaft 245 so as to be driven thereby, and thisshaft 245 has a pinion fixed thereon which is meshed with a gear 246that is fixed to the sprocket 223 so that the shaft 245 and theassociated feed wheels are constantly driven.

. The sprocket 228 also has a pinion 247 fixed thereto which isassociated by means including a replaceable change gear 248 with a gear249 which is loosely mounted on one section CS-2 of a main cam shaft CS,section CS-2 of which serves as a punch stop finger cam shaft and tooperate or raise and lower the card feed wheels 241 to 244, while thesection CS serves to carry a plurality of switch control cams 15216 to1531C which exercise control on the machine operation as will bedescribed hereinafter. A pivot shaft 250 is disposed forwardly of theshaft CS2 and the camv shaft CS-2 has a cam 241C thereon which engagesan arm 241A pivoted on the shaft 250 for raising. and lowering the wheel241; a cam 242C thereon which engages a similarly pivoted arm 242A forapplying downward pressure to the wheel 242; a cam 243C thereon whichengages a similarly pivoted arm 243A for applying downward pressure tothe wheel 243; and a cam 244C thereon which engages a similarly pivotedarm 244A for applying downward pressure to the wheel 244. The cam shaftCS also has cams 251C, 252C, 253C and 254C thereon for operating thecard sensing fingers 251, 252, 253 and 254, respectively, that arepivoted on the shaft 256 and disposed along the card guideway, and thesesensing fingers are operated through card sensing operations in eachrotation of the cam shaft CS. In addition, the cam shaft CS has a cam255 thereon which operates a transmitting arm 255A which is pivoted onthe shaft 250 and serves to raise and lower a stop finger rocker 258that is disposed at the punching station for stopping the card C in thedesired relation to the punch. This stop finger rocker is pivoted at itsforward edge by a horizontal pivot 258A that extends through downwardlyprojecting ears on flanges 25551- on the rocker. The pivot pin 258A issupported in a bracket 2583 with the ears ZSSF disposed Within orbetween the upstanding elements of the bracket. Accurate location of therocker 258 is assured by affording the pivot 258A in the form of a boltthat may be tightened between the elements of the bracket, and byaffording a spring 2583 surrounding the pivot to the left of a collar258C fixed on the pivot. The spring thus urges the rocker to the leftand against the upstanding left element of the bracket.

The gear 249 serves as the driving element of a one revolution clutchCL-l the driven element of which is fixed to the cam shaft CS, and thestop lever of this clutch may be released by operation of a clutchcontrol solenoid SOL-1. This clutch, as well as the other one-revolutionclutches to be described hereinafter, may be of the construction shownin my Patent No. 2,256,133, patented December 9, 1941.

The drive for the card picker CP includes an operating sleeve 260mounted loosely on a shaft 265, and a gear 261 is loosely mounted on theshaft 265 adjacent the sleeve 260. This gear 261 is constantly driven bya pinion 262 fixed on the shaft 222. The gear 261 serves as the drivingelement of a one-revolution clutch CL-2, the driven element of which isrotatively fixed to the sleeve 260, and this clutch is governed by asolenoid SOL-2. The sleeve 260 has an eccentric 263 fixed thereon, and aconnecting link 264 has a bearing surrounding such eccentric and isoperatively connected to the card picker as will be described.

The punch unit PU includes three operating cam shafts that are affordedby the shaft 265 and additional shafts 266 and 267 as will be describedhereinafter, the first cam shaft 265 being used primarily for restoringthe setup racks of the punch unit as will be described. This shaft 265has a gear 268 loosely mounted thereon and constantly driven by a pinion269 fixed on the shaft 222. The gear 268 constitutes the driving memberof a onerevolution clutch CL-4, the driven member of which is fixed tothe punch unit shaft 265, and a solenoid SOL- serves to control thisclutch.

Theshaft 266 serves to operate the punch r'am,'-and has a toothed sleeve271 loosely mounted thereon and connected to the gear 268 by an idlerpinion 272. The toothed sleeve 271 constitutes the driving element of aone-revolution clutch CL-5,- the driven element of which 6 is connectedto the punch ram operating shaft 266, and this clutch is controlled by asolenoid SOL-5.

The plate feed unit 120 includes a mainoperating shaft PF which isaligned with the shaft 267 of the punch unit PU and connected therewithby a universal joint 273 so that these shafts operate in unison. Theshaft PF serves to drive the plate feed mechanism, the packer mechanism,the sensing head SH, and a plurality of switch operating cams 1515C to1518C, as will be described hereinafter, and the shaft PF is driven fromthe sprocket 220. Thus, the sprocket 220 is loosely mounted on a shaft275 and is connected thereto by an overload release 276. A pinion 277fixed. on the shaft 275 is meshed with a gear 278 loosely mounted on theshaft PF and this gear serves as the driving element of a one-revolutionclutch CL-3, the driven element of which is fixed to the shaft PF. Thisplate feed clutch CL-3 is governed by a solenoid SOL-3.

The platen P is operated by a platen cam shaft'280 having cams 2S1thereon for forcing the platen P through its printing stroke, asdescribed in detail in my aforesaid patent application, and this shaft280 serves through change gears 283 to drive a platen stopfingercamshaft 285. A stop finger pivot shaft 286 is mounted forwardly of thecam shaft 286. The shaft 285 has cams 291C and 292C fixed thereon whichserve to operate stop fingers 291 and 292 that are pivoted on the shaft286 and act to stop the card C in first and second positions beneath theplaten P, it being noted that in consecutive operation the shaft 285 isdriven in a one-to-one relation to the shaft 280 and that the finger 292is blocked so that only the stop finger 291 is effective, while induplicate operation the shaft 285 is driven in a one-half-to-onerelation, and that the stop fingers 291 and 292 are effectivesuccessively to stop the card in successive printing positions. The stopfinger cam shaft 285' also has switch control cams 1551C and 1552Cthereon as will be de- The main cam shaft drive As hereinbefore pointedout, the main cam shaft CS is arranged so that it may be driven atdifferent speeds, and the details of this drive are shown in Figs. 4, 5and 6 of the drawings. Thus, the gear 247 that is constantly driven bythe sprocket 228 is mesh with the larger gear element 301A of a clustergear which has a smaller gear element 30113. This smaller gear 30113 hasa gear 302 meshed therewith, and the gear 302 is mounted on a swingablearm 363 that is pivoted on the axis of the gears 361A and 301B. The gear302 has a coupling element 302C rigid therewith, and this couplingelement is adapted to be drivingly engaged with a coupling 248C that isformed on the change gear 248. This change gear 248 of course mesheswith the gear 249, and when a gear 248 of a particular diameter is putin-place, it is, of course, coupled with the gear 302 so as to'berotated thereby, and the gear 248 is moved into meshing relationshipwith the gear 249 by swinging movement of the arm 303. In thisconnection it should be observed that a knurled fastening element 365 isprovided for fixing this change gear 248 in place, and this fasteningelement 305 is effective on the mounting stud to effect a clampingoperation of such stud with-respect to an arcuate slot 306 in which.such stud is mounted soas tohold the arm 303 in such position that 'thechange gear 248 is meshed with the gear 249. This arcuate slot 366 iscen-- tered on the axis of the gears 301A and 3013.

"The cam shaft CB has a permanently mounted portion CS 2 upon which thedriven element of the clutch CL1 is fixed, and this section CS2 servesas a mounting for the various cams that actuate the feed rolls and thesensing and stop finger mechanisms. To the right of the driven elementof the clutch CL-l, the cam shaft CS is afforded as a removable orreplaceable section that is joined to the driven element of the clutchCL1 by a driving coupling 310 and at its other end is supported by areleaseable supporting element 311. In this connection it should benoted that the cam shaft CS is removed upwardly, and that the switches1521 to 1531 are supported rearwardly of the cams on a support bar 312so as to facilitate the mounting and removal of 'the cam shaft section.This removable section of the cam shaft constitutes the support for thecams 1521C to 1531C and by removal and replacement of the cam shaftsection just described, the machine is adapted for consecutive orduplicate operation as required The sensing head SH and its drive Thesensing head SH, Fig. 7, is of the general character disclosed in myaforesaid co-pending application, Serial No. 58,742, and reference maybe had to such copending application for details of construction andoperation thereof. For present purposes it is sufficient to note thatthe sensing head SH is pivoted at its rear end on knife-edge pivots sothat the forward end thereof may be brought downwardly into sensingcooperation with a printing device D that is located at sensing station.The pivoting movements are imparted to the sensing head SH by meansdriven by the plate feed cam shaft PF and for this purpose a pair ofdownwardly extending links 451 are pivoted at their upper ends on thesensing head adjacent to the forward end thereof and at their lowerends, links 451 are connected to arms 452 that are fixed on a horizontalrock shaft 453. This rock shaft is supported by bearings 454 that extenddownwardly from the frame members 331 and 332, and springs 455 act onthe arms 452 so as to urge the sensing head SH towards its upper orraised position. The rock shaft 453 has a rearwardly extending arm 456fixed thereon and a cam roller 457 on the rear end of this arm rides onthe upper edge of an operating cam 458 that is fixed on the plate feedcam shaft PF adjacent to the cam 350. The sensing head SH is operatedthrough its sensing cycle during the retracting movements of the carrierbars 333, as shown in the timing chart of Fig. 8, and the sensingmovements are completed relatively early in the cycle of operation ofthe plate feed unit 120.

The sensing head SH is effective, as described in my aforesaid parentapplication, to sense the printing devices D and to set up the punchingunit PU in accordance with such sensing operation.

The sensing head SH also has a print-skip control arm 468 that is fixedto and extends rearwardly from an upper head 468H that is pivoted nearits forward edge of the forward edge of the sensing head SH at 469, asshown in Fig. 7. The sensing head SH has one or more tab-sensing pinsmounted therein beneath the rear edge of the upper head 468H so thatthis head 4681-1 and the arm 468 are shifted or rocked in clockwisedirection about such pivot 469, thus to raise the rear end of the arm468, and this serves to impart an upward setting movement to the'movableelement of the sensing switch SS when an identifying tab 165 is sensedby the tab-sensing pin 468P mounted in the sensing head SH. The sensingswitch SS is substantially like that shown in my aforesaid co-pendingapplication, and after the setting of the switch SS has been utilized inthe control of the print-skip operation of the machine as willhereinafter be described, the. movable contact 1591 of the sensingswitch is restored in a downward direction. This is accomplished by arestoring arm 470 that is fixed on a horizontal rock shaft 471. Thespring 472 normally urges the arm 470 in an upward direction toward anineffective position, shown in Fig. 7, and when the sensing switch SS isto be restored, the rock shaft 471 is rocked in a downward or restoringdirection at the time indicated in Fig. 8 of the drawings. The rockshaft 471 is extended to the right and has an arm thereon which engagesa selector switch restoring cam 475 that is fixed on the plate feed camshaft PF adjacent to the cams 350 and 458.

The cam guideway CG and related elements The card guideway CG is definedalong its rear edge by rear rails 480, Fig. 5, that are secured to thetable top T. In that portion of the card guideway CG that is oppositethe card pickers CP, the forward edge of the card guideway is defined bya strip 481 and the cards are advanced in a transverse direction by thefeed rolls 231 and 233 over the strip 481 and then are dropped into thecard guideway CG between the strips 480 and 481 as will be described. Tothe left of the card magazine CM, the forward edge of the card guidewayis defined by a continuation of the strip 481 that extends to thepunching unit PU, and by a similar strip 481A that extends from the lefthand side of the punching unit PU beneath the stop finger rocker 258 andto a point just beyond the pulley 291. In the left hand portion of thecard guideway CG, the forward edge of such card guideway CG is definedby a rail 4818 that is fixed to the table top T, and on this rail481B, amounting bar 483 is secured. This mounting bar 483 has a plurality ofangularly arranged support brackets 484 arranged thereon and thesebrackets have skid rollers 485 rotatably supported thereon so as to tendto displace the cards laterally in a forward direction and therebymaintain the same in engagement with the forward guide rail 481B, whileat the same time holding such cards downwardly in engagement with thefeed belt 202. A plurality of guide shoes 486 are also secured to themounting rail 483 so as to maintain the cards C in engagement with thefeed belt 202 in the spaces intermediate the skid rollers 485. The rearportion of the card guideway CG in the zone that is opposite the feedbelt 202 is defined by a rear rail 488 that is secured to the table topT.

When the card C that is in its initial position in the card guideway CGopposite the card magazine CM is to be advanced in a left handdirection, as viewed in Fig. 5, the constantly driven card feed wheel241, which has been in an elevated position, is moved downwardly intoengagement with the card C by the action of its cam 241C and the card isthus advanced into position beneath the card feed wheel 242 which is atall times in its lowered position and which at this time has haddownward pressure applied thereto by its cam 242C. The card is thenadvanced into the throat of the punching unit PU and its forward endmoves on through this throat and under the card feed wheel 243 which atthis time has downward pressure applied thereto. The card, however,comes to rest with its forward end beneath the stop finger rocker 258,there being a downwardly projecting stop finger element on the rocker258, as will be described. The card C remains in this position and isheld against the stop finger by' the continued feeding action of thefeed wheel 243, while the punching operation takes place, and the stopfinger rocker 258 is raised just prior to completion of the withdrawalof the punching elements so that when such withdrawal releases the card,the card feed wheel 243 immediately starts the advancing movement of thecard into position beneath the card feed wheel 244 which continues suchmovement of the card and causes the forward edge of the card to moveinto position over the feed belt 202 which continues such advancingmovement. With particular reference to the card feed wheels 241 to 244,it should be observed that when a card is not in position beneath suchwheels, these wheels engage free running idler rollers 489 that aredisposed; in position beneath slots in the card guideway.

. Thesensing'fingers 251,25 :3, 253 and 254 are arranged so that theirforward ends are positioned over safety or control: switches that arelocated beneath the card guideway. Thus, the sensing finger 252 isarranged over a switch 1611A so that this switch 1611A is opened whenthe sensing finger 252 passes downwardly through the bottom of the cardguideway and into operative engagement with the switch 1611, and thisdownward movement takes place immediately after a card C has been fedlaterally into the card guideway by the card picker CP and thetransverse belts 230. The sensing finger 251 is operated at the sametime as the sensing finger 252, and when a card is not in position inthe guideway, the sensing finger 251 is operable to open a normallyclosed switch 2027 that is disposed beneath the card guideway. Inordinary machine operation, the stop finger 252 serves as a safety whichoperates when a card is' not in a position in the guideway at the propertime to open the switch 1611 and stop the operation of the machine, aswill hereinafter be described.

The sensing finger 253 is utilized to determine that a card C is inposition at the punch, and this sensing finger 253 is lowered at thetime when a card C should have been advanced to such punching position.The sensing finger 253 is arranged, when a card is not sensed in apunching position, to close a normally opened card safety switch 1618that is disposed beneath the card guideway, and such closure of theswitch 1618 causes stopping of the machine, as will hereinafter bedescribed.

The sensing finger 254 is utilized to determine whether or not a card Cthat has been released by the stop finger 258 has passed onwardlythrough a relatively long intermediate space in the card guideway andinto a printing position, and the operation of this sensing finger 254takes place at a time when such card should have passed through suchintermediate space. Thus, if improper feeding movements of the card havecaused this card to be delayed so that it remains in this intermediatespace when the safety sensing finger 254 is lowered, such sensing fingeris ineffective to open a normally closed card safety switch 1612 that islocated beneath the card guideway, and the continued closure of thesafety switch 1612 at this time, cooperates with a related timing switch1521, to cause the machine to stop, as will be described hereinafter.

As a final safety sensing feature, the discharge of each card from theprinting device guideway CG is sensed by the micrometer stop switch1608, as will hereinafter be described, the operation of this structurebeing such that unless the micrometer stop switch structure 1608 isactuated by discharge of a card from the printing device guideway, thenext cycle of the machine will be stopped.

The electrical circuits and controls (Figs. 9 and 10) The electricalpower is supplied from a connector plug 1500 through wires 1501 and 1502to the input terminals of a main switch 1503 which has a double poleswitch member 1503M whereby circuit may be extended from the wires 1501and 1592 respectively to output terminals 1503K and 1503L. A main motorswitch 1504 has one terminal connected by a wire 1505 to the terminal1503L, and by a movable contact 1505M, circuit may be extended to theother terminal 1504L of the switch 1504, such other terminal 1504L beingconnected by a wire 1506 to one terminal of the main motor MM, the otherterminal of which is connected by a wire 1507 to the wire 1501. Theprimary control circuits for the machine are afforded between wires 1511and I2that are con nected respectively to the switch terminals 1503L and1503K by wires 1511A and 1512A.

The control of the machine operation is attained primarily through timedand selective actuation of the several clutch control solenoid SOL-1,the card feed clutch solenoid SOL-2, the plate feed clutch solenoidSOL-3;. the punch unit clutcl'e solenoid SOL-4, the punch ram clutchsolenoid SOL-5, and the platen clutch solenoid SOL-6, and this timed andselective control is brought about in part by the inter-related actionof cam actuated timing switch means operated respectively by the platefeed drive shaft PF, the. main cam shaft and the platen stop finger camshaft 285, as well as the selector switch S5, the selector relay 1513,and various safety switches and other relays, as will be described indetail hereinafter.

Thus the plate feed drive shaft PF has a cam 1515C thereon which acts ona normally open selector relay restoring switch 1515 to close thisswitch for a short period at about 10 in the rotative cycle of thisshaft. Another cam 1516C on the shaft PF serves to hold a plate dropsafety switch 1516 closed except for a short period at substantially 90of the cycle. A third cam 1517C on the shaft PF serves to close anormally open timing switch 1517 while the shaft PF is in its zeroposition, while a fourth cam 1518C on the shaft PF serves to close anormally open selector timing switch 151% at substantially 90 of thecycle of the plate feed unit.

The main cam shaft CS has cams 1521C to 1531C fixed thereon, and thesecams are arranged respectively to control normally open switches 1521 to1531, and as shown in Fig. 9, the cams are of the form and settingutilized in consecutive operation of the machine.

Switch 1521 constitutes a card safety timing switch and is closed atsubstantially 90 switch 1522 constitutes a control switch for the platefeed and is closed at substantially 240; switch 1523 constitutes a zeroposition switch and is closed at substantially zero; switch 1524constitutes a group release switch and is closed except at zero; switch1525 constitutes a card feed switch and is closed at substantially 40;switch 1526 constitutes a punch ram control switch. and is closed atsubstantially switch 1527 constitutes a punch ram control switch and isclosed at substantially 200; switch 152% constitutes a platen controlswitch and is closed at substantially 315; switch 1529 constitutes agroup control switch and is closed only at about 355; switch 1539constitutes a card safety switch and is closed at substantially 45; andswitch 1531 constitutes an emergency relay release switch and is closedat all times except when the main cam shaft CS is at zero.

The stop finger cam shaft 285 has a cam 1551C thereon which serves toclose a card safety timing switch 1551 at substantially 270 of therotative cycle of this shaft. Another cam 1552C is also fixed to thisshaft and is arranged to close a second impression platen control.switch 1552, this switch 1552 being connected in circuit only when themachine is being used for duplicate printing as described in saidpresent application.

A start relay 1570, and emergency relay 1571 and a group control relay1572 are provided, and these relays are of similar construction in thatmovable contacts 2 and 5 are engaged with contacts 1 and 4 respectivelywhen the relays are de-energized, and are shifted into engagement withcontacts 3 and 6 respectively when the relays are energized; and in eachinstance, the operating coil is connected across terminals 7 and 8 andin the relays 1570 and 1572 the terminal 7 is connected to the terminal6, while in the relay 1571 the terminals 5 and 7 are connected and theterminals 2 and 8 are connected.

The selector relay 1513 is of the mechanical lock-up type having apivoted armature 1573 that may be shifted to an operated position by anoperating coil 1574 or to a restored position by a restoring coil 1575.This relay has a normally closed switch 1576 that is opened by thearmature 1573 in its operated position, and a normally open switch 1577that is closed by the armature when it is in its operated position.

A similar card safety relay 1580 has a normally open 11 i switch 1581that is closed when its armature 1583 is shifted to its operatedposition by its operating coil 1584, and which switch is again allowedto open when the armature is shifted to its released position by'itsrestoring coil 1585.

The selector switch SS is of the general construction shown in mycopending application Serial No. 58,742 filed November 6, 1948, andcomprises a stationary contact block 1590 and a shiftable contact member1591 that is operated by the sensing head SH as described in suchapplication.

The card collector safety unit MS has a micrometer card sensingmechanism 1608 which is arranged to close a related safety switch 1609when a card passes from the sheet guideway into the card collector.

The machine also has a series of normally closed safety switches 1611 to1619, which are included in certain safety circuits as will bedescribed. Thus, the switch 1611 constitutes a card safety switch and isopened by the safety finger 252 when a card is not sensed at the initialcard feed position; switch 1612 is a card safety switch that is openedby the safety sensing fingers 254; switch 1613 is a plate feed drivesafety switch, that is associated with an overload mechanism in theplate feed drive; switch 1614 is a punch unit drive safety switch thatis associated with an overload means in the punch drive; switch 1615 isa last plate stop switch that is associated with a last plate sensingmeans of the magazine M; switch 1616 is a plate drop safety switch thatis associated with the plate drop member 400; switch 1617 is a frontchute safety switch that is associated with the collector tray 111;switch 1618 is a card safety switch that is operated by the safetysensing finger 253; and switch 1619 is the V-notch safety switch that isoperated by the locating pawl 340 at the sensing position.

The starting and stopping operations of the machine are governed by anormally open push button start switch 1620 and a normally closed pushbutton stop switch 1621 and these switches are connected in series by awire 1622. Wires 1623 and 1624 extend from the wire 1622 to one contactof the card safety switch 1611, the other contact of which is connectedby a wire 1625 to one side of the power circuit as represented by thewire 1512. Upon closure of the start switch 1620, circuit is extendedfrom the other terminal of the switch through wires 1627 and 1628 toterminal 6 of the start relay 1570, and thus to one end of the operatingcoil of this relay. The other end of the operating coil is connectedthrough a multipleswitch safety circuitfrom terminal 8 as will bedescribed. When the start relay 1570 is energized, the closure ofcontacts and 6 thereof establishes a running circuit through the stopswitch 1621, and this is accomplished through wires 1629 and 1629Aextended in series from terminal 5 of this relay to the other contact ofswitch 1621.

Thus, wires 1630A and 1630B extend in series from such terminal 8 to onecontact of a punch safety switch 1630; and wires 1631 and 1632 extendfrom the other contact of switch 1630 to one contact of the plate feeddrive safety switch 1613; wires 1632 and 1633 extend from the othercontact of switch 1613 to one contact of the punch unit safety switch1614; wires 1634 and 1635 extend from the other contact of switch 1614to one contact of the last plate stop switch 1615; wires 1634 and 1637extend from the other contact of switch 1615 to one contact of the platedrop safety switch 1616, it being noted that this switch 1616 is open atcertain times in the cycle and is bridged with a shunt circuit at suchtimes through the plate drop safety timing switch 1616 as described insaid parent application. The main safety circuit 'is extended from theother contact of the plate drop safety switch 1616 by wires 1640 and1641 to one contact of the front chute safety switch 1617, the othercontact of which is connected by wires 1642 and 1643 to one contact ofthe V-notch safety switch 1619. The

other contact of the safety switch 1619 is connected by a cuit isextended to the line wire 1511 as will be described, through normallyclosed contacts 4 and 5 of the emergency relay 1571 so that theemergency relay constitutes an element of the safety circuit, andoperation of the emergency relay will be effective to stop the machine.Thus the main safety circuit is extended from the terminal block 1645 bya wire 1646 to the terminal 4 of the'emergency relay 1571, and when thisrelay is deenergized, circuit is extended between contacts 4 and 5, andby a wire 1648 to terminal 7 which is connected by a wire 1649 to theother side of the power source as represented by wire 1511.

The terminal 1645 constitutes one side of the power source for the platefeed solenoid SOL3, the punch unit solenoid SOL-4, and the platensolenoid SOL-6, and is connected by a wire 1650 to one terminal of theplaten solenoid SO L6, and a wire 1651 is extended from the wire 1650 toone terminal of the plate feed solenoid SOL-3. Similarly a wire 1652extends from terminal 1645 to one terminal of the punch unit solenoidSOL-4, thus rendering operation of solenoids SOL-.3, SOL4, and SOL6dependent upon the emergency relay 1571 being in its released condition.Thus when the emergency relay 1571 is operated, the platen solenoid, thepunch unit solenoid, and the plate feed solenoid cannot be energized,and the main safety circuit is broken so as to stop the machine.

When the start relay 1570 is de-energized, it conditions certain singlecycle controls for manual operation, and for this purpose a wire 1660extends from the wire 1512 to terminal 2 of this relay. This circuit isextended by wires 1661 and 1662 from terminal 1 of this relay to onecontact of a plate feed push button switch 1663. A wire 1664 extendsfrom the wire 1662 to one contact of a single impression push buttonswitch 1665. Thus, a wire 1666 extends from the wire 1664 to the commonterminals of a double pole push button switch 1667 which serves toinitiate a cycle of operation of the main cam shaft CS and also to causea card C to be fed, as will be described. It should be noted that whenthe start relay 1570 is operated, the circuits to the manual switchesiust described are opened so that such switches are ineffective, andthis constitutes an important safety feature in that it prevents damageto the machine that might otherwise result in the event of inadvertentclosure of such manual switches during automatic machine operation.

Thus the switch 1663, when closed extends an energizing circuit to theplate feed clutch solenoid SOL-3, a wire 1669 being extended from theother terminal of the switch 1663 to a terminal block 1670 from which awire 1671 extends to one terminal of the solenoid SOL-3. It will beobserved that the other terminal of the solenoid SOL-3 is connected bythe wires 1651 and 1650 back through the contacts of the emergency relay1571 to the other side of the circuit as represented by the wire 1511.Similarly, a wire 171A is extended from the terminal block 1670 to theother terminal of the punch unit solenoid SOL-4.

The single impression switch 1665 has its other contact connected bywire 1673 to the terminal block 1674 which is connected by a wire 1675to the other terminals of the platen clutch solenoid SOL-6 so thatclosure of the switch 1665 causes operation of the platen.

The switch 1667 has the other terminal for one of its contact barsconnected by a wire 1776 to a terminal block 1777 which in turn isconnected by a wire 1778 to one terminal of the main cam shaft solenoidSOL-1, the other terminal of this solenoid being connected by a wire1779 to the wire 1511. The other contact for the other of the contactbars of the switch 1667 is connected by a wire 1780 to a terminal block1781 and this contact block is connected by a wire 1782 to the No. 8terminal of emergency relay 1571 and this serves to energize theemergency relay since the contact No. 7 of this relay is 13 a connectedto the Wire 1511. Hence, when the card feed switch 1667 is closed, theemergency relay 1571 is operated" as an incident to the starting of themain cam shaft CS and this serves to disable the circuits to the platensolenoid, the punch unit solenoid and the plate feed solenoid whichwould normally be operated in a cycle of the main cam shaft.

When the start relay 1570 is in its energized or operated condition thecontacts 5 and 7 thereof are engaged and this serves to afford a holdingcircuit for the start relay, it being recalled that terminals 6 and 7thereof are connected. When the start relay is in its operated conditionthe contacts 2 and 3 thereof are also engaged, and terminal No; 2 ofthis relay is of course connected by the wire 1660 to the wire 1512.Contact No. 3 is connected by a wire 1883 to a terminal block 1884 fromwhich a wire 1885 is extended to one contact of the switch 1576, of theselector relay 1513, a further extension 1836 also being provided toconnect the wire 1885 to the stationary contact of the switch 1577. Theswitches 1576 and 1577 are parts of the selector relay 1513, and theswitch 1576 is normally closed or in other words, is closed when theselector relay 1513 is in its restored relationship. When the switch1576 is in this closed relation, circuit is extended from the othercontact thereof by a Wire 1590 to a terminal block 1591 from which awire 1592 extends to one contact of the cam operated switch 1523. A wire1893 extends from the other contact of this switch to one contact of theswitch 1517, the other contact of this last switch being connected by awire 1894 to the terminal block 1670. Hence so long as the selectorrelay remains in its restored condition and while the main cam shaft CSremains in its at rest or zero position, circuit Will be extendedthrough the switch 1517 each time the plate feed shaft reaches its zeroposition, and thus the plate feed clutch solenoid SOL-3 will beenergized in each cycle of the plate feed shaft PF and the plate feedshaft will rotate continuously. If on the other hand, the main cam shaftCS is in the course of a rotative movement, the switch 1523 will beopened and the main cam shaft CS will be caused to stop until such timeas the switch 1523 is again closed, or until such time as anothercircuit to the plate feed clutch solenoid SOL-3 is established.

When the selector relay 1513 is operated, the switch 1576 is opened andthe switch 1577 is closed, and upon closure of the switch 1577, circuitis extended from its other or movable contact by a Wire 1695 to theterminal block 1777, thus to complete an energizing circuit for the maincam shaft clutch solenoid SOL-1. As hereinabove pointed out this causesthe switch 1576 to be opened and hence the plate feed shaft PF will cometo rest at its Zero position after completing its cycle. The nextrotation of the plate feed shaft PF is then initiated at the proper timeunder control of the switch 1522, that is operated by the. related camon the main cam shaft, one contact of which switch 1522 is connected bywires 1901 and 1901A to the movable contact of a double throw groupcontrol switch 1902 which in its off position extends circuit to a wire1993 that extends to the line wire 1512. The other contact of the switch1522 is connected by a wire 1905 to the terminal block 1670 so that uponclosure of the switch 1522 in the rotative movement of the main camshaft CS, the plate feed clutch solenoid SOL-3 will be energized.

The operating and restoring coils 1574 and 1575 of the selector relay1513 each have one terminal thereof connected to the line wire 1511 by aWire 1907, and in each rotation of the plate feed shaft PF, therestoring coil 1575 is energized so that the selector relay will berestored in the event that it has been operated in such machine cycle.Thus wires 1908 and 1909 are extended in series to one contact of. theselector relay restoring switch 1515, the other contact of this switchbeing connected by a wire 1910 and a wire 1911 in series, to the othercontact of a double throw, double pole selector the switch and a wire1924 to the wire 1512.

switch 1915. This switch 1915 has an upper portion that constitutes theon position of the switch and when the center switch members is in. thisposition, circuit is extended from the wire 1911 through a wire1916 tothe wire 1512, thus to complete the energizing circuit for the restoringcoil 1575 each time the selector relay restoring switch 1515 is closed.

The operating coil 1574 of the selector relay 1513 is of course underthe control of the main selector switch SS as will be describedhereinafter, and a wire 1918 is extended from the other terminal thereofto a terminal block 1919 and a wire 1920 from this terminal blockextends to one contact of the selector timing switch 1518. A wire 1921from the other contact of the selector timing switch 1518 extends to aterminal block 1922 and a wire 1923 extends from this terminal block tothe other center contact of the selector off-on switch 1915. When themovable member of this switch is in its off position circuit is extendedfrom the wire 1923 through In. the other or on position of the selectoroff-on switch 1915, circuit is extended from the wire 1923 through awire 1925 to a print-skip switch 1926 that is used as described in myaforesaid copending application to alter or revise the selecting actionof the selector switch SS. Thus the wire 1925 connects to the centercontact of the double throw print-skip switch 1926 and when the movableswitch member is in its upper or skip position circuit is extendedthrough a wire 1927 to what may be termed a skip terminal block 1928from which a wire 1929 and a branch lead extend to a pair of contacts1929 and 192951 on the stationary block 1590 of the selectorswitch SS.In certain positions of the movable member 1591 of this switch SS thesestationary contact members may be connected with another stationarycontact member 1930 which is in turn connected by a wire 1931 to theline Wire 1512. t

In its other position, the movable member of the print-skip switch 1926extends circuit from the wire 1925 to a wire 1932 which is connected towhat may be termed a print terminal 1933 and a wire 1934 extends fromthis terminal and is connected with a stationary contact 1935. Asdescribed in my aforesaid copending application, the closure of acircuit by the selector switch SS is accomplished in accordance with thesensed identifying means on the printing devices D that are passedthrough the machine, and whenever such a circuit is completed, theselector relay 1513 is operated due to closure of circuit through theoperating coil 1574 thereof. As hereinbefore pointed out, this operationof the selector relay causes an operation of the main cam shaft CS to beinitiated.-

In the operation of the plate feed unit, the switch 1516 is opened ineach cycle to serve as a timing means in the plate drop safety circuit,during the time when the plate drop safety switch 1616 is opened. Thus'a wire 1935 extends from the wire 1637 to one contact of the switch1516, and a wire 1936 from the other contact of this switch extends tothe wire 1640. Thus at the time when the plate drop safety switch 1616is to be normally closed by the action of the plate drop mechanism, thecircuit, through the switch 1516 will .be opened so as to thereby renderthe switch 1616 effective to accomplish its desired function.

Of the other switches that are controlled by the main cam shaft, onecontact of each switch is connected to the wire 1512 by a wire 1940,such wire extending from the line wire 1512 to one contact of each ofthe switches 1525, 1526, 1528, 1530 and 1531.

The card safety relay 1580 has one terminal of each of its coils 1584and 1535 connected by a wire 1941 to the line wire 1511. The card safetyrelay 158i} is energized in each rotation of the stop finger cam shaft285 by the closure of the switch 1551. Thus a wire 1943 is extended fromthe line wire 1512 to one contact of the switch 1551, and a wire 1944extends from the other contact of this switch to a terminal block 1955.A wire 1966 extends from this terminal block to the other terminal ofthe operating coil 1584 of the card safety relay 1580, and thus the cardsafety relay is operated each time the step finger cam shaft 285 isrotated. A further circuit is extended from the terminal 1955 by a wire1957 to a counter switch 1958 and from this switch wires 1959 and 1960extend in series to one terminal of an electrically operated counter1961, the other terminal of which is connected by a wire 1962 to theline wire 1512.

The card safety relay 1580 is restored in each properly completedmachine cycle through the action of the card as it leaves the printingdevice guideway. Thus the card passes through or between the micrometerwheels of the safety device 1608 and this causes the related micrometerswitch 1609 to be closed. One contact of this switch 1609 is connectedby a wire 1972 to the line wire 1512 and the other contact of thisswitch 1609 is connected by wires 1973 and 1974 to the other terminal ofthe restoring coil 1585 of the card safety relay 1580.

When the card safety relay 1580 is in its operated condition, the switch1581 thereof is maintained in its closed position, and this conditions,but does not complete, an operating circuit for the emergency relay1571. Thus, it will be recalled, that terminal 7 of this relay isdirectly connected by the wires 1649 to the line wire 1511, and that theterminal 8 of this relay is connected to the terminal block 1781. A wire1976 is extended from the terminal block 1781 to one contact of theswitch 1581 and a' wire 1977 is extended from the other contact of thisswitch to a terminal block 1978 which is connected by a wire 1979 to theother contact of the card safety switch 1530. Thus the operating circuitfor the emergency relay 1571 is conditioned by operation of the cardsafety relay 1581, and if the card has not passed out of the guideway soas to close the micrometer switch 1609, and cause restoring of the cardsafety relay 1580, then the closure of the switch 1530 early in the nextcycle of the main cam shaft CS completes a circuit so that the emergencyrelay is operated. When the emergency relay 1571 is thus operated aholding circuit for such re-- lay is established. This holding circuitis afforded by a wire 1980 that connects terminals 2 and 8 of theemergency relay, and when this relay is operated contact 2 of this relayis engaged with contact 3 thereof. The holding circuit is extended fromcontact 3 by wire 1981 and 1982 in series, to the other contact of thecam operated switch 1531 which at this time will be in its closedrelationship so that circuit will be extended through the wire 1940 backto the line wire 1512. The switch 1531 is arranged to open when the maincam shaft reaches its zero position and thus the emergency relay 1571 isreleased at this time after having caused the plate feed solenoid, theplaten solenoid and the punch unit solenoid to be disabled and afterhaving caused the start relay 1570 to be released so as to stop themachine.

The emergency relay may also be operated by the card safety switch 1618,one contact of which is connected by a wire 1618A to the line wire 1512,and the other contact of which is connected to the terminal block 1781by a wire 1618B.

The card safety switch 1521 is arranged in a circuit with the relatedcard safety switch 1612. Thus a wire 1985 is extended from the line wire1512 to one contact of the switch 1612 and the wires 1936 and 1987 inseries connected to the other contact of this switch to one contact ofthe timing switch 1521. The other contact of the switch 1521 isconnected by a wire 1988 to the terminal block 1781. This circuit isutilized to energize the emergency relay 1571 and thus stop the machinein the event that the card has not passed at the proper time from thepunch to the printing position. Thus if the card has remained in anintermediate zone between these two positions, the safety finger willstrike such card and will not open the switch 1612, and hence uponclosure of the timing switch 1521, the circuit will be completed to theemergency relay 1571 so as to stop the machine.

The card feed switch 1525 has one contact thereof connected to the linewire 1512 by the wire 1940 and a wire 1990 is extended from the othercontact of this switch to a terminal block 1991 from which another wire1992 is connected to the card feed clutch solenoid SOL2, a wire 1993extends from the other terminal of this solenoid SOL2 to one terminal ofthe solenoid SOL-5, and a wire 1994 extends from this terminal to theline wire 1511. Thus upon closure of the cam controlled switch 1525, thecard feed solenoid SOL-2 will be energized.

The cam controlled switch 1526 governs the operation of the punch ram,and one contact of this switch is connected to the line wire 1512 ashereinbefore described. The other contact of this switch is connected bya wire 1996 to a terminal block 1997 from which a wire 1998 extends toone contact of an off-on switch 2000 whereby the punch ram may berendered inoperative. Wires 2001 and 2002 extend in series from theother contact of this switch to the other terminal of the punch ramsolenoid SOL5, thus to afford the desired energized circuit of thesolenoid under the control of the switch 1526.

The platen is governed by the switch 1528 and the other contact of thisswitch is connected by wires 2004 and 2005 in series to one contact of aplaten control switch 2006. The other contact of this switch isconnected by a wire 2007 to the terminal block 1674 which it will berecalled is connected by a wire 1675 to one terminal of the solenoidSOL-6, thus the solenoid SOL-6 may be energized by closure of the camcontrolled switch 1523.

The presence of a print plate at the printing station of the machine isindicated by a signal light 2010 that has a circuit which extendsthrough the V-notch safety switch 1619 and through the contacts 4 and 5of the emergency relay 1571. Thus, a wire 2011 extends from one terminalof the light 2010 to the wire 1643 at the switch 1619, the other contactof which is connected by the wire 1644 to the terminal block 1645, thusto be connected through contacts 45 of the emergency relay 1571 to theline wire 1511 when the emergency relay 1571 is de-energized. The otherterminal of the light 2011 is connected by a wire 2012 to the wire 1923to the selector circuits, and when the selector switch SS is set in aposition which selects a printing device for a print operation, circuitfor the light 2010 is extended through the switch S5 and back to theline wire 1512.

The machine is of course adapted for consecutive operation or duplicateoperation as well as for group printing, as described in my aforesaidparent application, but for present purposes it is necessary only todescribe consecutive operation of the machine.

Consecutive operation When the machine is to be operated for consecutiveprinting wherein but one impression is to be made from each selectedprinting device, the manual controls of the punch unit PU are set so asto provide for data perforations representative of the fixed data suchas date, ledger number and the like. This is accomplished by setting ofthe manually settable interposers 650M and the manually settable controlelements 650M-1 in the manner illustrated in Fig. 5 of the drawings.

The printing and control devices Dthat are to be used in a particularrun of the machine will have the numerical data representingperforations formed therein in a uniform manner and in particular ordersof the data representing field thereof, and this numerical data may ofcourse be punched into the cards C in any selected columns of the card,this being accomplished by setting of the transfer elements 870 in thetransfer frame 801. This transfer frame 801 is therefore set up inaccordance with the orders in which the numerical data appear on theprinting and control devices D that are to be used and further inaccordance with the particular columns of the card in which such dataare to be perforated. Further, if fixed data are to be represented byperforations in any columns of the card wherein automatically operatedinterposers 650A are present the transfer frame 801 is set up withcontrol wires $70M in those columns where the control members 680 mustbe released in each cycle of the punch. After the transfer frame 801 hasthus been set up, it is placed in position in the machine so that it mayeffect transfer of the sensed data from the Bowden cables 465 to theset-up pins 761 of the punching unit.

The printing devices D are then loaded into the magazine M and the cardsC are loaded into the card magazine CM.

Since the operation of the machine that is being described is to benormal consecutive operation, the group switch 1%2 is turned to itslower or off position, and the duplicate control switch 2017 is alsoturned to its off position, thus to disable the 'switch 1552. Ashereinabove pointed out the second stop finger 292 at printing positionthat is utilized only in duplicate operation of the machine may beblocked or held continuously in its upper or ineffective position andthis must of course be done in this instance. It should be observedhowever, that in some instances the particular timing of the stop finger292 may be such that it does not interfere with consecutive operation ofthe machine and in such instance, the stop finger need not be blocked asaforesaid.

Since the machine is to operate in consecutive printing, the stop fingercam shaft 285 is set through adjustment of its change gearing so as tooperate in a one-to-one relationship with respect to the platenoperating cam shaft 280. In addition, the cam shaft CS that is in placein the machine must be one which has the cams thereof set forconsecutive printing, and the change gear 248 which drives the cam shaftCS must be such that the cam shaft CS operates at its highest speedwhich is the speed that is needed for consecutive printing operation ofthe machine.

The main motor MM is then started by the closure of the main motorswitch 1504, and the main switch 1503 is closed so as to energize themain power lines 1511 and 1512 of the control circuits of the machine.

With the machine thus conditioned, it is necessary to advance the firstone of the printing and control devices 1) into sensing position, andthis is accomplished by momentary closure of the manual plate feedswitch 1663. This causes operation of the plate feed unit 120, in thecourse of which the first printing and control device D is advanced intosensing position beneath the sensing head SH. With the machine timed inthe manner disclosed in Fig. 7 of the drawings, it is necessary to havethe first card C advanced from the card magazine CM so as to be inposition opposite the card magagine and in the sheet guideway CG, andthis is accomplished by momentary actuation of the manual card feedswitch 1667. Such operation of the card feed involves an operation ofthe main cam shaft CS, in the normal course of which the platen P andthe plate feed unit 120 would be operated, but as hereinabove pointedout the closure of the card feed switch 1667 also serves to energize theemergency relay 1571 which serves when thus energized to disable themeans which would, in the normal rotation of the main cam shaft, causeoperation of the plate feed unt 120 and the platen P. Thus the operationof the manual card feed switch 1667 results only in a feeding of a cardC into the initial position in the card guide-way opposite the cardmagazine CM.

When the foregoing operations have been completed, the machine as readyto start on its normal course of automatic operation, and this isaccomplished through momentary closure of the manual start switch 1620.

This switch closure causes the start relay 1570 to be energized and aholding circuit for this relay is afiorded through number 5 and 6contacts of the relay and through the manual stop switch 1621 as well asthrough the various safety switches and through the normally closedsafety contacts 4 and 5 of the emergency relay 1571.

When the start relay 157i) is thus operated, closure of the contacts 2and 3 thereof closes a circuit to the common contacts of the switches ofthe selector relay 1513, and at this time in the machine cycle theselector relay 1513 is in its restored position wherein the switch 1576is closed and the switch 1577 is open. Circuit is thus extended byclosed switch 1576 through the zero position switch 1523 of the main camshaft unit and through the zero position switch 1517 of the plate feedunit 126 and this serves to complete circuit to the control solenoidSOL-3 so as to cause closure of the plate feed clutch CL-3. A cycle ofoperation of the plate feed unit is thus initiated, and if the operationof the sensing head SH in this cycle indicates that the printing andcontrol device D that is sensed is one from which an impression is notto be made, then the return of the zero position cams 1518C on the platefeed shaft PF to its zero position will cause another cycle of the platefeed unit 121 to be initiated immediately upon completion of the firstcycle thereof. Such continuus operation of the plate feed unit willcontinue, of course, so long as the result of the sensing operationconstitutes a skip indication.

in each cycle of operation of the plate feed unit 120 a large number ofdifferent functions take place at times indicated in the timing chart ofFig. 7. Thus the selector switch SS is restored early in the cycle andthe previous sensing or data pattern that has been locked up on the pins803 of the pattern lock unit 802 is unlocked and the pins 761 and 803are restored to their normal down positions through the operation of therestoring bail 775. The pin housings or carriers 760 are also restoredto their forward positions by operation of the restoring plate 785. Therack bars 680 are also restored as shown in the timing chart of Fig. 7and the' rack bar locking pawls '710'are released. During the restoringof the rack bars 680, the pins 761 and their housings are firstrestored, and are then reset in accordance with the new sensingoperation, and hence, at the end of the restoring action, those rackbars 680 with respect to which one or more pins 761 have been set, arefree to move to the right through their new setting movements whilethose rack bars 680 with respect to which no pins 761 have been set, areheld in their restored positions by the zero gate 692 which is at thistime in its upper or effective position as shown in Fig. 7.

The printing device D that is located at sensing position is sensed bydownward movement of the sensing head SH, and the sensing switch SS setin accordance with the tabs that are sensed by the pins 468R The springpins 468 of the sensing head SH are also efiec tive to sense thenumerical data represented by coded perforations in the printing andcontrol device D that is at sensing position, and the Bowden cables 465are. effective through the transmitting pins 855 and the transfer wires870 to actuate and set the locking pins 803 and the corresponding set-uppins 761. After the setting movement of the pins 803 and 761 has beenaccomplished the locking plate 865 is shifted to its effective orlocking position, and the rack bars 689, the pawls 695 of which havebeen released, move to their set positions and are locked in these setpositions by the locking pawls 711). The sensing head SH is thenwithdrawn, and as will be evident in Fig. 7, this takes place relativelyearly in the cycle of operation of the plate feed unit. While the abovedescribed operations are in progress, the carrier bars 333 are movingthrough their rearward movement, and as soon as the printing device D atsens charge to the collecting hopper K.

. ing position has been freed by upward withdrawing movement of thesensing head Sl-L'the rack bars start their forward or advancingmovement and the printing device that is at sensing position is engagedalmost immediately and the forward movement thereof is started asindicated in Fig. 7 so that this printing device comes to rest atprinting position at substantially the end of the cycle of operation ofthe plate feed unit.

In the example that is being described, the sensing of the tabs 165 bythe pins 4681 will be assumed to have set the selector switch SS in itsskip position, and hence the circuit to the selector relay will not becompleted. Hence the selector relay 1513 will remain in its restoredposition in which it has been set at the very beginning of the platefeed cycle, and as hereinabove pointed out, the next cycle of theoperation of the plate feed unit 120 will be immediately initiated, andthere will be no printing operation in respect to the printing device Dthat has been fed into printing postion..

When an operation of the sensing head SH sets the selector switch SS inits print position, the operating circuit for the selector relay 1513will be completed when theselector timing switch 1518 is closed, thetime of such closure being indicated in Fig. 7. The operation of theselector relay 1513 serves to open the switch 1576, thus to break thecircuit which would normally initiate the next cycle of operation of theplate feed unit 120, and as a result the plate feed unit 120 will cometo a stop at the end of its cycle. The operation of the selector relay1513 also closes the switch 1577, and this completes a circuit to thesolenoid SLO-l which causes the main cam shaft clutch CL-1 to be engagedso as to start rotation of the main cam shaft CS. It should be observedin this regard that the selector relay 1513 is actuated to its restoredposition due to closure of the switch 1515 and that this takes place inthe first part of the cycle of the shaft PF. One of the first functionsthat results from this cam shaft operation is the initiation of afeeding movement of the card C from its initial position in the cardguideway CG toward the punch unit PU. This is accomplished by loweringof the feed wheel 241 which is governed by the cam shaft section CS-2.

At the time when this'advancing movement of the card C is initiated thestop finger 258 at the punching unit is in its lowered or effectiveposition, and the card C therefore comes to rest in the throat of thepunch and in a proper relationship to the punching elements. The maincam shaft CS then causes the switch 1526 to be closed so as to therebyenergize the punch ram solenoid SOL-5. This causes the punch ram clutchCL-5 to be engaged so that the punch ram 626 moves downwardly through apunching cycle. In this punching cycle the data perforations will bepunched in the card C in accordance with the setting of the interposersthat has been made in the last cycle of the plate feed unit 120. As thepunches 611 start on their upward or withdrawing movement, the stopfinger 258 is raised so that as soon as the punches 611 have beenwithdrawn, the card C is free to be advanced to the printing position.Suchadvance is caused by the feed roller 243 which has downward pressureapplied at this time, and the card is advanced to the feed roller 244which feeds the card onto the feed belt 252 which completes theadvancing movement to the stop finger 291 which is then in its loweredposition at the printing station. The operation of the platen P is theninitiated by closure of the switch 1528 which energizes the platencontrol solenoid SOL6.

The operation of the plate B by the platen cam shaft 280 serves also tooperate the stop finger cam shaft 285 so that upon completion of theprinting operation the stop finger 291 is raised and the card C isreleased for dis- In the course of rotation of the stop finger cam shaft285, the switch 1551 is closed so as to cause the card safety relay 1580to be operated to its set position, and this card relay remains initsset position until discharge of the card'C through the micrometerswitch unit MS causes the relay 1580 to be operated to its restoredposition. In the event that the card C does not pass through themicrometer switch unit MS, the emergency relay 1571 is operated, so asto stop the operation of the machine. If however, the card is dischargedproperly through the micrometer switch unit MS, the card safety relay1580 is restored in proper time so that on operation of the machine willnot be interrupted.

It will be observed that in the operation of the machine as thusdescribed, the printing and control device D has been sensed, thepunching unit PU has been set up and operated and the punched card hasbeen advanced to printing position and in impression has been madethereon, and all of this has been accomplished in a single cycle ofoperation of the machine so that upon completion of this cycle there areno partially processed cards in the machine.

In the course of the operation of the main cam shaft, the plate feedunit remains idle for a length of time that is dependent upon the amountof time that is required for the card feeding, punching and printingoperations that are to be performed, and at a time in the cycle of themain cam shaft which is determined by the aforesaid considerations, theswitch 1522 is closed so as to initiate another cycle of operation ofthe plate feed unit 1520. The operation of the machine as a whole thenproceeds with the operation of the plate feed unit 120 interrupted orsuspended only in those cycles where printing operations are required,and even then, the idle periods of the plate feed unit are determinedonly by the time that is required for performance of the required cardfeeding, punching and printing operations.

In the operation of the machine as aforesaid, the safety sensing fingers252, 253 and 25 1 are effective to check on the presence of a card atdifferent positions along the card guideway. Thus, the'presence of acard at the initial position in this guideway is checked by the sensingfinger 252, and if no card is sensed,- the switch 1611 is opened so asto release the start relay 1570 and stop operation of the machine.

At the time when a card should be in position at the punch, the sensingfinger 253 is operated, and if a card is not sensed, the switch 1618 isclosed so as to energize the emergency relay 1571 and thus stop themachine.

The card sensing finger 254 is operated at a time when the card shouldhave passed from the punch and through the intermediate space into theprinting station, and if the card is still in this intermediate space,the finger 254 will fail to open the switch 1612, and the emergencyrelay will be operated so as to stop the machine.

Conclusion From the foregoing description it will be evident that thepresent invention affords novel sheet safety means whereby proper sheetfeed is assured during high speed sustained operation of the machine.

Thus, while I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment ofmy invention, it is to be understood that this is capable of variationand modification, and I therefore do not wish to be limited to theprecise details set forth, but desire to avail myself of such changesand alterations as fall within the purview of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In an automatic machine for producing business instruments or thelike, a plurality of functioning units operatively related forcooperation in producing business instruments, said units each includingat least one operative mechanism and independent one-revolution driveclutches therefor, control means in said machine including control earnsoperable during operation of said control means to cause engagement ofthe respective clutches of the units in predetermined sequence toproduce auto-

